Quikrete: Building a Workplace Designed for Growth, Flexibility, and Talent Retention

As an industry leader, Quikrete recognized that its workplace needed to support the way people work today while remaining adaptable for tomorrow. The company was faced with a significant decision: how to modernize a large, level workspace while balancing employee expectations, financial responsibility, operational efficiency, and long-term business goals. The challenge wasn't simply selecting a workplace solution; it was determining how to maximize value from every square foot while creating an environment employees would embrace.

Quikrete's leadership team faced several competing priorities:

• Optimizing real estate utilization without sacrificing employee comfort.

• Managing project costs while investing in a long-term solution.

• Creating a workplace capable of adapting to future organizational changes.

• Supporting employee attraction and retention through an improved workplace experience.

• Maintaining durability and performance standards expected from a high-use corporate environment.

The team initially weighed traditional workstation approaches against newer workplace solutions. While conventional options felt familiar, they presented limitations in flexibility, future reconfiguration, and overall space efficiency. The challenge was clear: how could Quikrete create a workplace that met today's needs while positioning the organization for tomorrow's opportunities?

Working alongside design partner Warner Summers and general contractor Warren Hanks, Corporate Environments guided Quikrete through a discovery process focused on business outcomes rather than products. Through collaborative planning sessions and a showroom experience, CE helped the Quikrete team evaluate workplace solutions through the lens of cost efficiency, adaptability, employee experience, and long-term return on investment.

Seeing contemporary workstation solutions in action shifted the conversation from what was familiar to what was possible. Rather than focusing solely on immediate needs, the team began evaluating how workplace decisions could create lasting value across the organization. Successful transformation required close collaboration among a dedicated project team: Quikrete, Warner Summers, Warren Hanks, and Corporate Environments. Together, the team aligned workplace strategy with business objectives, ensuring every decision supported Quikrete's long-term vision.

The project team identified an approach that delivered multiple business advantages:

• Increased workplace density without compromising employee comfort.

• Greater flexibility to adapt spaces as organizational needs evolve.

• Improved long-term cost efficiency through reconfigurable solutions.

• Enhanced employee experience through a more contemporary workplace environment.

• Potential tax and financial benefits associated with adaptable workplace investments.

As new challenges emerged during the project, including the need for greater privacy and flexibility within training environments, the team continued to innovate. Custom training room solutions and mobile privacy elements were introduced to support evolving workplace functions while maintaining flexibility for future use. The completed workplace reflects Quikrete's willingness to challenge conventional thinking and invest in a smarter, more adaptable future.

By embracing a flexible workplace strategy, Quikrete achieved:

• More efficient utilization of available real estate.

• Increased capacity within the existing footprint.

• Enhanced adaptability to support future organizational changes.

• Improved employee experience through a modernized work environment.

• Long-term operational value through solutions designed to evolve with the business.

The project demonstrated that workplace transformation is not about replacing the familiar—it's about creating new opportunities. By reimagining what their headquarters could be, Quikrete gained a workplace that supports business performance today while remaining ready for whatever comes next.